Following a consultation and planning process that involved Global Alliance members in sixteen countries, the Vancouver meeting endorsed a new five-year strategic plan for the organization. The primary objective -- to increase the value of the Global Alliance to member associations - will be supported by four lines of business: raising standards, sharing knowledge, advocacy for the profession and strengthening public relations associations.

John Paluszek, the newly elected GA Chair said: "The Global Alliance franchise -- as a worldwide communications cooperative serving its members -- must be strengthened. And the Global Alliance brand -- as a potential contributor to greater international mutual understanding -- must be further developed."

Daniel Tisch, the new Chair-elect, said: "Our new board -- and our new plan -- have one primary objective: enhancing the value of the Global Alliance to our member associations, and to public relations professionals around the world."

John Paluszek is senior counsel at Ketchum in New York. Daniel Tisch is president of Argyle Communications in Toronto.

The Global Alliance Center, which is based in Lugano, Switzerland, supports the Global Alliance's projects and initiatives through the oversight of membership, sponsorship, website and events. The office is led by Nina Volles, General Secretary and is supported by Jennifer Hayes, Executive Officer.

At the Vancouver meeting, the new board made a special presentation to express thanks to Colin Farrington, Director-General of the Chartered Institute for Public Relations (U.K.), for his leadership of the Global Alliance over the past two years.

About the Global AllianceThe Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management is the umbrella organisation linking PR Professional Associations worldwide. The Global Alliance builds on the cooperative efforts of PR Professional Bodies (who build on the cooperative efforts of PR Professionals) to tackle common problems with a global perspective. By partnering with national bodies to increase professionalism in Public Relations, this Alliance works to enhance the influence of the Public Relations industry among its constituents around the world. http://www.globalalliancepr.org/

Università della Svizzera italianaThe USI Università della Svizzera italiana was founded in 1996. As a public institution, it is part of the Swiss university system that comprises nine cantonal universities and two Federal Institutes of Technology. It is an academic competence center for communications research and the only Swiss university with a fully-fledged communications faculty and extensive experience in executive education for communication professionals. Students and faculty come from 40 different countries around the world. Benefiting from a unique geographic, and cultural location, USI is a distinguished multilingual and multicultural university, with a broad international outlook. http://www.unisi.ch/.